Owens fined for spitting on Hall
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens was fined $35,000 by the National Football League on Monday for spitting on Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall, the largest fine ever levied for such an act.
Owens admitted to spitting on Hall Saturday night following the Cowboys' 38-28 win over the Falcons, a game in which Owens scored two touchdowns.
The NFL did not suspend Owens. A suspension for such an infraction would have been unprecedented and would have cost Owens nearly $300,000.
The penalty imposed is more than twice the $17,000 fine Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor received for spitting on Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman during a playoff game last January. Former Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski was fined $7,500 for spitting on San Francisco 49ers wide receiver J.J. Stokes in 1997.
The biggest fine for such an act prior to this was in 2000, when Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Regan Upshaw was fined approximately $30,000 for spitting on then-Pittsburgh Steelers punter Josh Miller. Upshaw was docked one week's pay from his $500,000 salary.
Owens has a base salary of $5 million, making one week's pay (based on a 17-week season) a little more than $296,000.
